Firefighters battle to prevent reignition of France's largest wildfire as residents return home
PARIS — About 1,400 firefighters were deployed on Saturday in France's southern Aude region to prevent the country's largest wildfire in decades from reigniting, as all residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Aude prefect Christian Pouget said the fire has been contained since Thursday after burning this week more than 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) in the wooded region, known for its wineries. All roads have been reopened but authorities issued a strict ban on accessing the forest, Pouget said at a news conference on Saturday.
'The fight is continuing, firefighters are still working on (fire) re-ignition,' he said.
The blaze left one person dead and 25 people have been injured, including 19 firefighters, Pouget said.
High temperatures in the coming days are expected to complicate firefighters' efforts.
'The fire won't be extinguished for several weeks,' Col. Christophe Magny, director of Aude firefighters department, said, pointing to several 'hot spots' that are being closely monitored.
France's national weather agency Meteo France placed the southern half of France under 'high vigilance' alert for heat wave, with temperatures expected in the Aude region of up to 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday.
Southern Europe has seen multiple large fires this summer. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
The Associated Press
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